Effect of sex on the morphometric traits of Japanese quail (<I>Coturnix coturnix japonica</I>)

Abstract

The effects of sex on Morphometric traits of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) at the Poultry Unit of the Teaching and Research Farm of University of Uyo was evaluated. A population of 500 Japanese quails were reared in a Completely Randomized Design under standard management practice. Two-hundred and fifty birds per sex were randomly selected, body weight (BWT) and linear body measurements: shank length (SL), thigh length (TL), keel length (KL), body length (BL), breast girth (BG), wing length (WL) and wing span (WS) were measured at 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th weeks. The results showed that sex significantly (P<0.05) influenced some morphometric traits of Japanese quails in this study. Sex had a significant
(P< 0.05) effect on the body weight at all ages but statistically (P>0.05) similar for all linear body measurements at all ages. Female Japanese quails had higher mean values for body weight than the Males counterpart at all ages. However, there were no significantly (P>0.05) difference all the linear body measurements measured in this study at all ages. In conclusion, females of Japanese quails were heavier than the Males counterpart and should be kept for production purposes.

Keywords: Japanese quail, Sex, Morphometric Traits